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The complications of English

The complications of English. a short etymology & possible predicaments. Foreign language influence in English. French influence. Examples: apartment ( appartement ) beauty ( beauté ) curfew ( couvre-feu ). German influence. Examples: zeitgeist ( Zeitgeist = spirit of the age )

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The complications of English

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  1. The complications of English a short etymology & possible predicaments

  2. Foreign language influence in English

  3. French influence Examples: apartment (appartement) beauty (beauté) curfew (couvre-feu)

  4. German influence Examples: zeitgeist (Zeitgeist = spirit of the age) kindergarden (Kindergarten) angst (Angst)

  5. … and we thought it was English bicycle Bi (Latin): two kyclos: (Greek): wheel

  6. Latin expressions & phrases etc. (et cetera) i.e. (id est) e. g. (exampli gratia) N.B. (nota bene)

  7. other languages • robot (Czech: robota) • mother (Sanskrit: मातृ) • alcohol: (Arabic: لغول - الكحول ) • congee: (Tamil: kanji) • silk (Chinese: 絲) • manga (Japanese:まんが;) • ski (Norse: skíð)

  8. It’s a Germanic language

  9. Aggravations of grammar • Tenses • Alex eats pizza. (of course, he likes it) • Alex is eating pizza. (unfortunately not) • Alex has eaten pizza. (he knows what it tastes like) • Alex ate pizza yesterday. (no leftovers!) • Alex had eaten pizza. (before he ate spaghetti) • Alex is eating pizza tonight. (he has a date) • Alex is going to eat pizza. (no matter what) • Alex will eat pizza. (perhaps he won’t)

  10. Aggravations of grammar • Cases • I eat my pizza with you. • You eat his pizza with him. • We eat their pizza with her. • She eats your pizza with them.

  11. Aggravations of grammar • Subject – verb agreement • The price of these jeans (is/are) ok. • The books borrowed from the library (is/are) on my desk. • The quality of the candies (is/are) good. • The famous singer and composer (has/have) arrived. • Neither his father nor his mother (play/plays) tennis.

  12. interpretations • The farm was used to produce produce. • The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. They were too close to the door to close it.

  13. … it can get really silly. • Boxing rings are usually square. • A vegetarian eats vegetables; but what does a humanitarian eat? • We ship by truck and train but we send cargo by ship. • Houses burn up when they burn down and trees are fallen by cutting them up. • It’s a bright night when the stars are out but it really gets dark when the lights are out.

  14. Which English? • The committee were unable to decide (BrE) • The committee was unable to decide (AmE) • She learnt French in Paris. (BrE) • She learned French in Paris(AmE) • truck / lorry -- hood / bonnet – trunk /boot

  15. remember…. • Don’t give up. • Ask, ask, ask, ask, ask, ask, ask, and ask once more • Native speakers also make mistakes. • Main objective: to get your point across.

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